The Song Remains The Same....

The other day, I was at the hairdresser getting my haircut when a Garth Brooks song came on.  I laughed a little, since I hadn't heard it in so long, and proceeded to reminisce about a memory it had triggered.  It was like I had gotten sucked back to 1997 and nights at the Palomino Club, dancing with good friends and debating if a bread bowl from Perkins really was enough sustenance at 2am.  It was a good memory and it made me miss those wonderful people who shared that part of my life with me.

Somehow we got to talking about Randy Travis during that time to.  Randy Travis was my first concert back in the 80's.  When everyone else was trying to get into a New Kids on the Block show, my mom and I were waiting in line for Randy Travis tickets.  I'll admit it, Randy Travis reminds me of my very first boyfriend (if that's what you call those things at the age of 9 or 10).  Frank Carr, to me, will always be associated with songs by Randy Travis.  They had the same lanky build and the same deep voice and it brings a smile to my face, every time I hear a song.  I get taken back to our little neighborhood and the times we spent down at the lake, fishing, falling in, trying to blow up GI Joe figurines, a first kiss.  You just get a hint of that cool crisp air and everything is right with the world.

I guess you can say that, from that point on, i was primed to hear and remember things.  They came in waves; at work, in the car, from my ipod.  The best part of it was, and is, completely random and yet all at the right time.  It brings back laughter and tears.  It reminds me of my broken heart and hearts I've broken.  It reminds me that I'm human and for all the ups and downs over the past 'almost' 35 years, I've been dealt a pretty decent hand.  

Here's a few that I wanted to share.  I wanted to remember and write down these moments because they really do bring me happiness, even if I haven't heard from the people I associate them with in years.

Stairway to Heaven - I remember being at some 'dance' at the Hanover Seaside Club when this came on.  I can distinctly remember Brett Riggs in his smart ass, sarcastic, why do I have to tolerate this insanity tone (which I'm sure he still possesses to this day, because he wouldn't be Brett without it) saying - and I don't remember if it was to me or just in general - "Look at all those dorks out there dancing thinking this is going to be a slow song.  Wait till it gets to the guitar riff, then what are they going to do?"

Don't Speak (No Doubt) - They play this song all the darn time and yet every time, I'm sucked back into that little yellow house across from Norwich.  We're at a party and Hemlick has shaved half of his face and left the other with a nice beard and stasche.  I'm sitting with Joey on a couch (or overturned footlocker, I can't remember) belting it out.  I think we knew something was going to change then, even if we didn't exactly realize it at the time.  It makes me miss that friendship.

No Doubt (in general) reminds me of a great group of friends from High School.  You know who you are, and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual :)

Gangsta's Paradise - ALWAYS takes me back to WCU, 1995, and every freaking frat party I attended.  I giggle when thinking about dancing to it at the SigEp house one evening, falling down the hill while it was playing at the Pike house, someone's trying to ride a cow... yep, it gets pretty fuzzy, but it makes me miss those fun times of not caring, and being cared about.  

Bohemian Rhapsody - Well YEAH, Wayne and GARTH DUH!  It also takes me back to the fall of my junior year of High School.  I was dating someone out of state and this song and his opinion and thoughts and overall "I knew before everyone else knew" attitude, was a topic of many conversations.  On the flip side, it did get me addicted to Queen and I do still have a good stash of their music on my ipod.  The guy wasn't what I thought, but I thank him for the music :)

Led Zeppelin - Sucked right back into my Sophmore year at Laney.  Just know there was a lot of Zeppelin, a lot of driving around, a lot of, well, just good stuff.  It pulls random snapshots of watching Far and Away on a couch, parking in a deserted field in the middle of the night, backs on lockers, VCR's and a lot of laughter.

There really are so many and so many people that flood through when you turn the radio on.  Ace of Base reminds me of all my drives down to Southport and Bob Marley reminds me of sitting in the Sub Station waiting for a friend to get off work so we could go to the beach.  Sometimes there are a few songs that cover multiple times within my life.  Dave Matthews streams through so many parts of my life from Western, to Norwich, to meeting Tom.  'The Space Between' will always be our song.  

So many songs, so many memories, so many people.  I'd write them all down if I could because to me, they're all special and amazing and my life.  The Song Remains the Same...